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Amherst County School Board approves superintendent profile, launches search with April 30 deadline
Summary
The Amherst County School Board approved a superintendent profile and application as amended, set an April 30 application deadline, and scheduled application review and first‑round interviews in May; consultants said applicants must meet Virginia licensing rules and will face writing and performance tasks during interviews.
The Amherst County School Board on a voice vote approved a superintendent profile and application package and set an application deadline of April 30 as it opened a national search for a replacement superintendent.
Roger, the search consultant leading the presentation, told trustees the process began with 377 survey responses and interviews with community members and staff that identified instructional leadership and strong communication as top priorities. "Instructional leader" and "communicates well with all community groups" were among the attributes the consultants recommended including in the advertised profile, Roger said.
The board adopted the profile as amended and approved the application packet, which requires applicants to submit a PDF application, updated resume, copies of professional licenses, and — for certain short answers — 1,500-character bulleted responses that the consultants will score. Consultants said they will also perform internet and reference checks and recommended criminal-background and credit checks as part of vetting. The consultants told the board they expect applicants to be eligible for Virginia licensure; the board's expectation is that a hired superintendent will establish residency in Amherst County within one year of contract execution.
Consultants asked trustees to convene a special meeting on May 7 to review and rank applications and to finalize interview questions; they proposed first-round interviews on May 15 (with May 16 as a potential alternate). The consultants described the first-round format as a two-hour assessment per candidate — a timed writing or performance task followed by an interview — with a more presentation-focused second round for finalists.
On advertising, the consultants recommended posting the vacancy to Virginia-focused channels and noted that larger national listings carry fees (about $250 for a one-month national posting). They said out-of-state candidates would likely be preliminarily vetted by Zoom before any travel expenses were considered.
The motion to accept the profile and application package was made, seconded and approved by the board; the search will proceed under the timeline approved at the meeting. The board is scheduled to reconvene to review applications on May 7 and to hold first‑round interviews in mid‑May.
